How to Fix Corrupted Special Characters in CSV Files Uploaded to SharePoint
Question details
Special characters in a CSV file become garbled or corrupted after uploading to SharePoint, despite displaying correctly on other platforms like Google Drive.
- Product
- SharePoint / Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Uploading a generated CSV file containing special characters (like accents or en dashes) to SharePoint using an integration tool such as Workato.
- Observed behavior
- Special characters in the uploaded CSV file appear corrupted or replaced by incorrect symbols when viewed in SharePoint or Excel for the web.
Before making changes, check how the CSV file currently displays in a local text editor like Notepad, and confirm if your integration tool supports specifying HTTP header encoding.
Save the CSV File with UTF-8 with BOM Encoding
Adding a Byte Order Mark (BOM) to your UTF-8 encoded file ensures SharePoint and Excel automatically recognize and render special characters.
Excel and SharePoint often default to ANSI encoding unless a Byte Order Mark (BOM) explicitly tells them the file is UTF-8. Resaving the file with a BOM resolves most character corruption issues.
Locate the original CSV file generated before the upload and open it with a plain text editor such as Microsoft Notepad.
Click on the 'File' menu at the top left corner of the window and select 'Save As'.
At the bottom of the 'Save As' dialog box, find the 'Encoding' dropdown menu and change it from 'ANSI' or 'UTF-8' to 'UTF-8 with BOM'.
Click 'Save' to overwrite the file or save it as a new copy, then manually upload it to SharePoint to verify the special characters display correctly.
Update Integration Tool Encoding Settings
Configure your automation tool (like Workato) to explicitly define the character set as UTF-8 during the file transfer to SharePoint.
Import the CSV File Using Power Query
If you cannot change the file format during upload, import the file into Excel using Power Query to manually enforce the correct UTF-8 encoding.
Easily Edit and Save CSV Files with Proper Encoding Using WPS Spreadsheet
Avoid compatibility issues when working with special characters. Use WPS Spreadsheet to easily open, edit, and save CSV files with precise encoding control, ensuring seamless uploads to cloud platforms like SharePoint.
- 1. Open the CSV file: Launch WPS Spreadsheet, go to 'Menu' > 'Open', and select your CSV file.
- 2. Verify the text: Ensure that all special characters, accents, and dashes display exactly as intended.
- 3. Select Save As: Click 'Menu' and choose 'Save As'. Select 'CSV (Comma delimited)' from the format dropdown.
- 4. Confirm UTF-8 encoding: Check the encoding options before saving to ensure UTF-8 is selected, then save the file for a corruption-free upload.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel scramble special characters in my CSV file?
Excel defaults to reading CSV files in ANSI encoding depending on your system's regional settings. If your CSV is encoded in UTF-8 without a Byte Order Mark (BOM), Excel fails to recognize the special characters and scrambles them.
What is the difference between UTF-8 and UTF-8 with BOM?
UTF-8 with BOM includes a hidden 3-byte signature at the very beginning of the file. This signature explicitly signals to programs like Excel and SharePoint that the file uses UTF-8 encoding, preventing character misinterpretation.
Can I fix corrupted characters after the file is uploaded to SharePoint?
Generally, if the file was corrupted during the upload process due to incorrect integration settings, you cannot fix it directly in SharePoint. You must adjust the encoding settings and re-upload the original file.
How can I test if the CSV file encoding is correct before uploading?
You can open the CSV file in a plain text editor like Notepad or an office suite like WPS Office Spreadsheet. If the special characters display correctly there, the file itself is fine, and the issue lies in the transfer or the receiving platform's default settings.
